NWSEO Works to Save ITO Positions - Here’s How You Can HelpProtect the ITO Position Press KitSpanish - Fact Sheet - Speaking points White Paper - Detailed report on the ITO position Spanish version - White Paper Detailed report on the ITO position You can also write to Dr. Jane Lubchenco at: *** Contact your Senator and Congressional RepresentativeYou can call or email your State Senator using the locator below. You can call or email your Congressional Representatives using the locator below: (If this link does not work, please cut and paste it into your browser.) NWSEO Works to Save ITO Positions - Here’s How You Can Help (February 17, 2012) NWSEO is working full pace to protect the ITO positions at WFOs. The President’s proposed FY2013 budget reduces the NWS budget by nearly $40 million. Because of this, the NWS plans to eliminate 98 ITO positions at WFOs, while moving 24 ITO positions to regions. We have yet to hear the details about those proposed regional positions. The announcement came at an “All Hands Call” meeting on Tuesday, February 14. As you know, your membership is the strength of our union. We are asking all NWSEO members to help us in the effort to protect the ITO positions and the mission of the NWS. Here’s how you can help:1. NWSEO has a Press Packet located at http://nwseo.org/media_center.php which includes a press release, a white paper, and speaking points on this issue. Please contact your local media and let them know how crucial the ITO position is to the lifesaving work of WFOs, especially during severe weather. Localize the issue. If you are talking to your local TV meteorologist, let him know how this is going to affect the information provided to him. This will give the story urgency and make it more newsworthy. Let the media know that 98 of 122 ITO jobs will be eliminated, that’s about 80 percent of these positions. The NWSEO White Paper details the importance of the ITO positions and the impacts of eliminating them. Please share this with your Emergency Managers and the local media. Important reminder: When you work with the media, please be sure to tell them that you are speaking “as a member of NWSEO” or that you are “representing NWSEO.” 2. The Washington Post Federal Diary is asking, “Which of Obama’s cuts go too far?” Please sign in and comment about the cuts to the ITO positions. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/2012/02/13/gIQAHwGCDR_story.html?wpisrc=nl_fedinsider 3. Please sign the petition to prevent cuts to the National Weather Service on the White House web site. 4. As a member of NWSEO, you are well aware of the strength you bring to the union. We are effective because of your membership. The dues you pay is powering our efforts to save these jobs. Please ask the non-union employees in your office if they will help us in the effort to save the ITO positions. Please ask them to join NWSEO today. The SF 1187 form to join is available at http://nwseo.org/joinnwseo.php. The completed form can be emailed to Peter Nuhn, Director of Membership Services, at peter@nwseo.org or fax him at 202-600-2145.( Please note, this is a new fax number for Peter.) NWSEO thanks you for your efforts and your membership. 5. Please join our Facebook Group. Currently, there is a lot of information regarding the ITO positions being posted on the site. Members find it as a way to have your comments “heard,” discuss issues, and get questions answered. NWSEO President Dan Sobien and Vice President Bill Hopkins are part of the group and often participate in the discussions. This is a closed group for NWSEO members only. If you have a Facebook account, search for National Weather Service Employees Organization. Once your membership is verified, you will be included in the group. 6. If you did not receive this Four Winds in your email, please send your private email address to mediarelations@nwseo.org so that you can be added to the system. 7.You can call or email your State Senator using the locator below. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm You can call or email your Congressional Representatives using the locator below: (If this link does not work, please cut and paste it into your browser.) Thank you for your membership. It is the strength of NWSEO. Sincerely, |
601 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 900, WASHINGTON, DC 20004 202-907-3036 mediarelations@nwseo.org
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